Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-07-13

VINO were looking out with somo interest
to see ''if Matilda Martin would pins any,
now that Rufe Burton had mittened her."
But she didn't Instead of that she mar
ried Alva Dean, who had always loved
her from a child.
~ amt collcge-learned like Rufe Bur
ton," said he; ''but love you, Matty, and
Pill be good and true husband to you, see
if I ANTI
The newly-wedded couple came to live
with the Martins at the old homestead,
for Hosea was getting old and rheumatic,
and Mrs. II artin could not bear the idea
OF parting from her only daughter. Time
crept by, Hosea Martin and his wife grew
to be white-haired old people, and Alva
Dean had prospcred on the farm, and
built new barn up on the hill, when one
day he said to his cherry checked wife:
Didn't there use TO be an old well up
somewhere near the big buttcrnut tree,
Matty, at the south side of the barnl"
''Of course" nodded Matty. "But the
curb rotJcd away, and mother thought il
unsafe. So, after the new we'll by the
house was dug, they flied it up"
I've notion to open it again." said
Alva. Tho water would be dreadful
handy, now that we kesp all the cattle
theren
'Bat," said Matty, 81 seem to rccollect
that it ran dry after the new one was
dug"
Il guess we can strike water If wo go
deep enough" said Alva. "Anyhow,
mean to try"
The old well was gh
Alva Dean remarked, with a groan, that
all the OLD trash in creation seemoi to
have boon poked away there.
Bottles" said he, land brokcn-nosed
Nit ,r.I ~
and cobbie-stones, AMI goodness knows
what all. Enough to set up junk shop
with"
"AhW said Matty with smile, ''mother
filed it up the same spring that she sold
grandmother's money to the rag poddler,
that never came around again. at 4 ceat
and a half a pound"
"No use cryin' after split milk, my girl"
said Alva, bravcly.
"But Pm not crying" said Matilda
"Pm laughing. Don't you see!''
Just then in camo little Bess. the young
est golden-haired darling Of the flock.
30 mamma" she cried, "look at the
lovely old cracked stone jug that came ut
of the Old we'll Mayn't mo and Fanny
have it to fix liquoric e-water ln, Look!
The cork is sticking tight in it yeti"
"But it's cracked down the side, DEAR"
demonstrated Mrs. Dean.
But we can putty it, mamma, like Mrs.
butchers best china bowl. Please, nam
ma, may wei" urged the mite.
Mrs. Dean took it up and looked curious
| ly at it--an old, high-shouldcrcd jug OF
drab, with sprawling pattern OF blue
dashed down the side
81 remember it WE'LL" said she. 'It used
to stand behind Grandma Martins buttery
shelf 1 used to fancy the pattern was
like blue crab. And WEI
80 mammal" cried Bess, with shrek
| 80 mammap'
For the handled had slipped through
Mrs. Deans fingers, and the jug fell will
a crash to the ground But the stonewart
was strong, and it separated in two piec
! cs, following the line of the crack.
"lps stuffed full of funny bits Of brown
parer," cried Bess
Mrs. Dean gave a little scream ani
grew pale.
''Grandmother's moneyr' she cried
GAS true as you live and breathe, mother
to Mrs. Martin, who had como l;mping il
upon her crutch, 'it's grandmother's mon
ey, put there ten good years agop
1t was true. The stone jug, lying al
most at the top OF the other debris, ha.
kept its treasure dry and safe; and here
ten years after the Old lady was dead anC
ertombei, her secret hoard-always in
tended for Matilda-had como to light.
A thousand dollars. Not a great spm
perhaps, but wealth to these primitiv,
people. And Rufus Burton, who had mar
ried pretty shrew and had just failed il
the grocery business, groaned over "wha
might have bsen," and Alva Dean kisset
his wifo, and blessed Col in his heart
and Farmer Martin chuckled at his ancien
helpmeet, and remarked, with sometnin.
OF h.s old waggishness:
THAT house-clcanin' Of yours like L
have cost We a thousand dollars, Hetty y
While Matilda said, softly;
"Heaven bless the dear Old grandmoth
erp'- W0mdn's JoHraIl.